Member Spotlight: Carl Deuker

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world?
They put blinders on thoroughbreds to keep them focused straight ahead. Reading (and writing) are the opposite. They open our eyes to all the things that are out there waiting to be discovered.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block?
Stop trying! I go for a walk, play some golf, garden. I usually think about my dead-in-the-water story for a while, then stop thinking about it, and then get an idea.

What is your favorite time to write?
Mornings. If I get even a couple of pages done, then I feel that the day has been productive. Once those first few pages are done, then I can enjoy the rest of my day without guilt.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers?
Don’t think you have to sit down for hours at a stretch. The key thing is to keep your story moving every day, even if your writing session is only fifteen minutes long.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age?
It’s possible now to have back-and-forth because of email, Twitter, Goodreads, etc. I write for young adults, and Skype gets me into classrooms around the country without leaving my house. The immediate connection with readers is great.

Carl Deuker’s Golden Arm is out now with HMH Books for Young Readers.